Page 16 of Unfettered

“I love you,” Lio tells me. “I’ll always be here for you.”

I give him a watery smile before leaning in and kissing him. I’m sure I taste gross, my face wet with tears and snot, but Lio doesn’t care. He kisses me back deeply.

His touch is the only thing keeping me centered and grounded, so even when the kiss breaks, I press myself against him again. Wrapping my arms around him, I grip him as tightly as he holds me.

The sound of footsteps in the hall has me burying deeper into Lio. I might be a Council member, but unless there’s another emergency, like with Dr. Ranlen, I hope they leave me be. I know Lio will need to leave to do some work, but my mind is too full to handle anything else at the moment.

Those thoughts only make me cry harder, as the feeling of inadequacy crashes over me. Everyone else is moving forward, trying their best to do what needs to be done, even as we wait, and what am I doing? Nothing but breaking down because I can’t fucking function.

I don’t know how Lio and Carter put up with me. I’m a terrible co-leader.

Strong arms hug me from behind, and I jump until the feel of them becomes familiar, and the scent of my love fills my lungs.

I relax, leaning back a little into Ignacio’s embrace, but not leaving the safety of Lio’s. Having them both here… It fills me with good emotions, even though I know I don’t deserve to have either of them.

More footsteps sound in the hall, and I get curious enough to look up, safely between two people who I know will protect me from anything.

Tennant and Benjamin move to stand beside Lio. Benjamin wiggles underneath Ignacio’s arms enough to give me his own hug, before sliding away and allowing Ten room to hug Lio and me, pressing kisses to both of our lips.

Benjamin clings to Tennant on one side, while Ten holds onto Lio on the other. If this was any other situation, I’d be asking questions about Ten willingly being so close to Ignacio, but right now, all I care about is having two more people in my corner.

That’s how Carter, Marcus, and Keegan find us. The three of them stop and take in the way I'm being sandwiched by Lio and Ignacio, with Ten’s arms wrapped firmly around Benjamin and Lio.

“Shouldn’t you be with Cole?” I ask softly, worried about my brother. “What if he wakes up? Is he still having nightmares?”

“He’s fine,” Keegan reassures me. He holds up his phone. “We can watch, and he’s being looked after by one of the maids. You’re important too, Roman.”

His words cause more tears to fall. I don’t deserve the care and affection with which he says those words. Not when he doesn’t have to be nice to me. I’m old enough to know that he and Marcus don’t need to try to win me over, but they keep proving they care not only about Carter but me too. It makes me feel both special and undeserving.

After all, why should I get the chance to have two new dads when the one I’ve shunned for months is fighting for his life?

Hollis, Jude, Nicolo, and Antonio show up next—well, more like Jude tows his Boys along with him, which makes me raise a brow at Jude, but my lover just shakes his head.

Pulling away from Lio and Ignacio, I turn further to address them. “What’d you find out?”

Hollis grimaces as Jude changes his grip on his Boys, pulling them close to him. “Doc needs to make some decisions over how to handle the transfer,” Hollis says carefully. “I was able to hack the hospital records.” He looks over at Jude.

I reach for Lio’s hand, needing his steadying presence for whatever news is to come.

“They took both legs,” Jude says. His expression darkens, and his pale green eyes harden as he seems to hold Nicolo and Antonio tighter. “Apparently, there was too much damage. Doc needs to be updated, but I want it known that I want him here as soon as it’s safe. He needs to be home for his recovery. We’re not going to allow him to be alone for longer than is absolutely necessary.”

“Of course,” Lio tells him. “We’ll do whatever it takes to give him the care he needs. Bring in any specialists, if need be. Throw as much money as we need to at rehab equipment. Don’t worry, Nario won’t have to recover alone.”

Nicolo and Antonio both seem to relax a little at the conviction in Lio’s words, though Jude’s expression doesn’t change. Not that I expected it to. I know Jude too well to expect any outward emotion from him.

My heart goes out to him, and I hate that he, Nicolo and Antonio are having to go through this. Fuck, I was half kidding about the orgy bed, but now we really need it. As exhaustion begins to wash over me, I want nothing more than to lay with all of my loves in the same place. It seems horribly crowded and inconvenient, but the need coursing through me doesn’t care.

Ignacio wraps an arm around me, pressing his lips to my hair. “Maybe you should get some rest,” he whispers.

I shake my head. “No. I need to do this.”

Hollis looks as if he’s going to argue with me, but before he can get the words out, the door to the surgical suite opens and Soren walks out.

I try to ignore the blood on the front of his shirt, swallowing hard. I’m not afraid of blood. Hell, I love making my enemies bleed for me. But it’s different when I know whose blood that is, and I begin to shake again, which has Lio letting go of my hand to wrap me in his arms once more, Ignacio moving to accommodate him.

“He’s alive,” Soren says, his voice rough in a way it usually isn’t. “It was touch and go, and it’s going to be a long recovery. The bullet managed to miss his heart, but it caused a lot of damage as it basically ricocheted off his ribs.”

“But he’ll be okay?” I ask, hating how small my voice is.